Process of treating oil



E. o. LINTON PROCESS OF TREATING OIL Sept. 14 1926.

Filed Do. a,

v I glwu vntoc attozwu g dia' Patented Sept l4, W2

UNITED .iis:

ERNEST 0. LIN'ION, OF INDIANA HARBOR, INDIANA, PROCESS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

ASSIGNOR T LINTON GASOLINE PROCESS OF TREATING OIL.

Application filed December 8, 1920. Serial 'No. 429,190L I This invention relates to the treatment'of heavy hydrocarbons to producelighter'hy drocarbons. The starting material may be any heavy hydrocarbon, but the process is mainly designed to treat heavy oils having an asphaltic base, the process being adapted to separate the asphaltlc ingredient from the crude material, whether that material be of the asphalt base type or of the paraffinasphalt, type. I

After the asphalt has been removed, the resulting distillate, which in many respects resembles an asphalt-free crude oil, such as Pennsylvania crude oil is capable of use in the same manner'as such crude oil, for the manufactupe of light products of the gasoline type or heavier products such as lubrieating or cylinder oils.

My invention is particularly adapted for the production of gasoline or motor fuel oils, and l have described herein, the method and apparatus by which ll obtain this type of product. The invention will be readily understood from the accompanying specification and drawings in which Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a refining plant Fig. 2 is avertical section of a still;

3 a plan view of a detail;

Fig. l an elevation of a preferred form of condenser; and

Fig. 5 a cross-section of Fig. lplane 55.

Referring to Fig. l, 1 is a supply tank for the crude oil, such as an asphaltic base fuel oil, this tank being preferably heated by steam or otherwise to maintain its contents in a freely liquid condition. From the tank 1, the oil flows continuously through valved pipe 2 into the still Attached to the end of the pipe 2 is a receptacle 3, preferably conical, having a bottom 4, provided with a series of perforations 5. The receptacle 8 is thus suspended within the body of i on the the still A, which is conveniently made in two parts, the upper part 6 having at its lower end flange resting on and secured to a flange on the upper end of the lower part i. A series of spaced lugs 8, are secured to the part it, and extend 1nto the briclp-work of the rurnace 9, and support still, 0161.10." t

no: free flow of of semi-asphalt or mixed base conditions in the yided with an exit pipe tion of the combustion chamber, for admit ting or excluding air to facilitate quick ad uStment of the temperature to the desired degree.

The furnace 9 is provided with a suitable cover 12, in close contact with the upper portion of the still, which, as well as the vapop e'xlt-plpe is covered with a suitable heat-lnsulation. The insulation on the pipe 13 extends from the still Ate the condenser B. 15 and 16 are pyrometer tubes, by means of which the temperatures in the interior of the still and on the bottom thereof, can be ascertained.

The condenser B consists of a cooling tank 17: to which a cooling liquid is supplied and within which is immersed a. vapor cooling device consisting of an upper pipe 18 and a lower suitable form of condenser may be used, but

that shown is simple in construction and eiiicient in operation. 21 is a manometer or,

mercury column to indicate the pressure system.

The vapors from pipe 13 flow directly mto pipe 18-, and the condensed liquid's'fiow out through pipe 22, into a receiving tanlr 28.

At its lower portion, the still A. is pro- 24, through which the asphalt is delivered into a 25. i i

The operation ofthe system as thus far described, as follows: a

crud oil, such as an asphaltic base fuel oil, the type produced in the @lzlahome, Texas and Mexican fields isdelivered through. the pipe 2 on to the hot bottom 4 of'the receptacle 3, over which "it spreads in a thin layer, the liquid and vapor being delivered through the holes 5 into the chamber The temper in the insideo carefully re d, by means or yrometer Openings, provided with i illlil between 830 and'860 F., preferably at 850 F., the temperature of the bottom of i the still being maintained between 865 to 940 F., preferably at about 900 F., but below the point at which coke is formed.

The temperature within the still should not be permitted to rise above- 860 B as above that point, some of the asphalt1c 1ngredients begin to vaporize. Nor should the temperature be allowed to fall substantially below 830 F., as below that point some of the high-boiling oils would not be vaporized and would pass out of the still with the asphalt.

' These limits of temperature are those which I have found to be essential with the particular oilswhich I have treated, but my invention is not limited to these particular temperatures as long as the temperatures are maintained between the-lower and upper points above indicated, as determined by the results desired.

The asphalt flows continuously out of the still through the pipe 24, the valve in this pipe and that in the supply pipe 2,.being preferably so adjusted that this continuous fiow takes place. v

tially atmospheric pressure, the still and densateis delivered through pipe 32 into condenser being constructed of such roportions andarrangement that substantially no pressure is permitted to exist. l

The condensate from container 23 may be used as the starting material for a further series of the usual refining operations to obtain gasoline, kerosene, li ht lubricatin oils. I

en it is esired to further-transform carbon of the gasoline or motor fuel type, the condensate is pumped from 'tank 23, by pump 26 into storage tank 27 from which it is delivered through pipe 28 into the second cracking still A, Which'isof the same construction as still A. The eXit'pipe 29- and tank 30 may be omitted, as practically no residues have occurred from the oils which I have treated.

I he vapors pass fro'mstill A through pipe 31 into condenser B, from which the contank 33.

and heavy and tained as closely as possible at 650 F., the

Be. at 60 F.

A ny suit'able pressure may be used in this still. In practice it has been operated at substantially atmospheric pressure.

This condensate is then pumped by pump 34 into storage tank 35, whence it is delivered as by pipe 36 into any suitable fractionating still. I prefer to use a still A of substantially the same construction as-the stills A and ,.A', except that the inner chamber is omitted.

In operation of this still, the condensate is charged'into the still upto about the level. indicated by the dotted line 37. The

temperature is then gradually raised and. the vapors generated pass over through pipe 38 into condenser E, the condensed liquids being delivered through pipe 39, into one or the other of the catch-tanks 40, 41 and 42.

The vapors coming off up to 400 F. are condensed and collected in catch-tank 42, the product being a good quality of gasoline having a gravity of about 62 B.

The vapors/driven oflf between 400 and 500 are condensed and collected in catch tank 41, the product having a specific gravity of about 50 B. This product, is preferably returned by pump 43 and pipe 44 to tank'27', for re-running in still A.- .The vapors driven of? above 500.F. are condensed and collected in tank 40, from which they are preferably pumped back through pump 45 and pipe 46 to tank 1 for re-run- -ning in still A. The oil collected in tank 40 has a specific gravity of about 35 B. With the oils which I have treated, I have found that there is recovered in catchtank 40, about 10% of the oil fractionated;

in tank 41v about 20%; andin tank '42, about I The. fractionatingstill is shown as provided with a draw-off pipe, but in practice there has been found to be practically no residual material.- This still and the still A are preferably heated in the manner I described for still A. thls first condensate into a lighterhydro- The process of: removing asphalt from asphalt'base oils whichconsists in continu ously delivering such oil directly on to aheated surface within an externally heated still, maintained at a temperature sufficient to volatilizesubstantially all the high-boil- In this still A, the temperature is main ing oils, but. not high enough to vaporize wee?? asphaltic ingredients, the residual liquid oil and Vapors therefrom flowing into the open still chamber, Within which the temperature is maintained between 830 and 860 F. in which such residual oil-flows continuously over "the heated Wall of the still,

whereby the veporizable constituents are freely liberated into the still I spaces, removing the asphaltic residuum from the bottom nature.

I ERNEST o. iiiNToN, 

